The Middle Part II: Tel Aventures and More

This morning I had a terrible epiphany. On my way to work with Jon, it dawned on me that, as of tomorrow, the fellowship is 1/2 over. Already? So soon? Where has the time gone? I have done my best to live in the moment and appreciate where I am, who I’m with and what we’re doing…but where did it all go? Luckily I don’t feel that any דקות (minutes) have been wasted, but it’s still shocking to realize. Reality can be tough.

Anyway, enough of my existential mumbo-jumbo. Let’s get into what you are all really here to read about: the Israel experience. Last weekend we Jerusalemites made our way to Tel Aviv to join Kevin and Idan for the Leila Lavan festival. Due to car troubles Idan was unable to join us, but it was still an unbelievable experience.

Kevin, me, Jon and Nate in Tel Aviv.

Kevin was able to show us around the city he has been fortunate enough to live in and we had a great time. Tel Aviv is amazing in ways so different from Jerusalem. Most notably different: the water. Kevin lives right on הנמל (the port) and we spent a considerable amount of time by the sea.

Sunset over the Mediterranean.

Friday I finally went to the beach (side note: my first time swimming in two years) and on Saturday I was able to explore Old Yafo and the heart of Tel Aviv.

Old Yafo.

All and all it was an extraordinary weekend, but I was glad to return to the comfort of Jerusalem-stone clad buildings…although I do miss the sea.

Back at BiolineRX I began working on updating the company archives. There will be an internal audit next week, so I have been furiously reorganizing the archive index and checking the scanned documents versus the hard copies of files and vice versa. For a relatively small company, there are a lot of procedural documents. This job more than my others has given me an understanding of what BioLine does from the clinical perspective. Although I am not fluent is science-speak, I can appreciate the amazing things that are developed in their labs.

Continuing on the momentum from last week’s meeting with Hod Fleishman of GreenRoad we have been busy spreading the good word of TAMID. Last night we met with Aharon Horwitz from PresenTense. TAMID really began when co-founder Eitan Ingall spent a summer in Jerusalem as a PresenTense fellow. Aharon was able to impart upon us knowledge from his experience in the Jewish entrepreneurial world. PresenTense helps visionaries take Jewish values and translate them into the Jewish world. But more than just applying to Jewish communities, PresenTense enables people to take ideas and make them realities–it teaches methods of communication on levels beyond dollars and cents. He also stressed the importance of developing a strong alumni network while TAMID is still young so that we can keep the community close post-graduation.

This coming week I will continue working on the archives and will spend Shabbat in Jerusalem with my fellow fellows. We are fortunate enough to have Shabbat dinner with Nate’s brother’s family.

Again, if you have made it this far I thank you. TAMID and the fellowship need all of the support we can get and your interest does not go unappreciated. On that note, I ask a favor: please tell people about TAMID: friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, strangers–anyone and everyone who can become a part of this very real venture we are undertaking: http://www.tamidgroup.org.

And, as always, I leave you with love from Jerusalem and my weekly blooper reel. A hint of food, a dash of friends and a heaping helping of fun. בכיף! (Enjoy!)

Nate Gilson: the man, the legend.

Kevin's inner child.

4/5 of the group.

Does this remind anyone else of Aladdin?

למה לא? (Why not?)

One of my more endearing shots--but Ethiopian food was worth it.

Dinner party with Naomi, our neighbor Elon and his friend Ruthger.

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